Dick Starks
Dick Starks has written two books about the joy of flying; “You Want To Build And Fly A What?” and “Fokkers At Six O’clock!!” He was the recipient of Flying’s 2001 Bax Seat Award “for perpetuating the Gordon Baxter tradition of communicating the excitement and romance of flight.” Dick and his wife, Sharon, both fly WW-I replica aircraft.
The Dawn Patrol
Bent landing gear on a Kolb Twinstar MK-II? This is a job for the Flabtrolic press—or maybe not.
The Dawn Patrol
They may not be comfortable, and they don't go fast, but flying a WW-I plane is just plain fun. When you can share the experience with some American heroes, its even better.
The Dawn Patrol
When the National Geographic Channel throws down an aviation challenge, The Dawn Patrol answers the call.
The Dawn Patrol
When one email gets forwarded far and wide, an airport picnic (featuring a surfeit of fried green tomatoes) ends up attracting a mob. But The Dawn Patrol rises to the challenge.
The Dawn Patrol
Each stalwart member of The Dawn Patrol has had his "day in the hay" (i.e., an off-airport landing). Now Sharon Starks is initiated into that venerable club.
The Dawn Patrol
When the chainsaw starters they'd been using on their airplanes for years finally started to give out, Dawn Patrol members searched for a replacement. It turned up in a garden tractor.
The Dawn Patrol
The Dawn Patrol crew managed to stay out of trouble (mostly) on their visit to the Gathering of Eagles in Gardner, Kansas.
The Dawn Patrol
Dick and Sharon Starks help a fellow member of The Kansas City Dawn Patrol ready his WW-I replica aircraft—a Mariner amphibian in 1918 Curtiss Seagull livery—for its FAA airworthiness inspection.
In Case You Missed it
Build It Better: Building a Team
Sometimes working alone in your hangar is exactly what you want. But other times a helping hand is called for, and then it helps to know you’re part of a worldwide homebuilding community.
Build a Custom Plenum That Will Work
For optimum performance, all it takes is a little bit of math and some fiberglass.
It Got Very Quiet!
"OK, so the engine just quit!" I said, in as calm a voice as I could muster as I keyed the mic.